


Thestrals

by IrisPurpurea



Series: All the Little Lights (Marauders Fics) [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Luna Lovegood is a Good Friend, Prisoner of Azkaban, Thestrals, missing moment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:29:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28310181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrisPurpurea/pseuds/IrisPurpurea
Summary: By the time he comes back to Hogwarts, Remus is familiar with death.
Relationships: Luna Lovegood & Remus Lupin, Remus Lupin & Ginny Weasley, Remus Lupin & Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin & Peter Pettigrew & James Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: All the Little Lights (Marauders Fics) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1356643
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16





	Thestrals

The herd of thestrals that pull the school carriages was one of the many not-so-well-kept secrets of Hogwarts. At first, most students simply assumed the carriages propelled themselves, as easy as the staircases and suits of armor moved around, as natural as the castle breathed. But in their second year, Remus, Lily, and Severus shared a carriage with a fourth-year whose parents, Aurors, had been murdered over the summer. She had heard of the thestrals a few months ago, when students came back from their Easter holiday, from a seventh-year whose Muggle grandfather had just been killed in an anti-Muggle raid. By their fifth year, Peter and James were among the half of their class who raised their hands when Professor Kettleburn asked whether they could see the Thestrals before them. In their seventh year, Sirius took Remus's hand and guided him to stroke the silky mane of the Thestral he'd decided to call Alfie, after the favorite uncle who'd died that summer. But when Remus left Hogwarts, the Thestrals were still invisible to him.

No longer. He stood on the platform in shock, staring at the glossy, black shadows tossing their manes and stamping their hooves before him. Thestrals. Of course, he reasons, by now, he's familiar with death. A long line of thestral-pulled carriages disappearing into the mist. He counts them. One for his mother, for Benjy, for Gideon, for Fabian, for Edgar, and for his wife, and for each of his children. One for Dorcas. One for James. One for Lily. One for Peter. All lost within six months. There's a wanted poster for Sirius Black on a pillar beside him. He tears his gaze away.

He sees Harry, his snowy owl a bright spot in the distance, climb into a carriage with his friends. He approaches an empty one nearby. The thestral turns its head to look at him, expectantly. He holds out a shaking hand, takes another step forward, and strokes its soft nose. It nuzzles into his hand, snorting, content. He brings his other hand to its mane, wondering at it, grief, warm and alive before him. 

"Hello."

He jumps.

A tiny girl with almost waist-length blonde hair, looking up into his face with mild curiosity.

"Are you a Professor?"

He nods. She nods back.

"That's Alfie."

"How -" Remus clears his throat. "How do you know that?"

"He told me so," the girl says, matter-of-fact. "Do you know him? He likes you." The thestral nuzzles his hand again, proving her point.

Remus raises an eyebrow. "I do know him. But… I've never seen him before."

The girl nods. "I met him last year, on my first day here. He's the first friend I ever made. Who did you lose?"

"I -" Remus stutters.

"Oh, I'm sorry if that was inappropriate. Ginny says I often say things I shouldn't. But she also says I should never stop."

"No, no, it's okay… I… I lost a lot of good friends after I left Hogwarts. I lost… my best friends. And my mother."

"I lost my mother when I was nine."

"I… I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay. She's not really gone, after all." She gestures to Alfie. "Right?"

Remus considers her, and the gentle movement of Alfie's flank. "Of course," he whispers. 

"Luna! There you are!" It's the Weasley girl, running toward them, stopping short when she sees him. He straightens, bundling his professor air around him like a new coat.

"Oh, er… hi, Professor. Erm… thank you for the chocolate."

"You're very welcome Ms. Weasley, and I'm glad to see you're feeling better. And you must be Ms. Lovegood, yes?" He turns to Luna, smiling. "I knew your mother. Pandora."

Luna beams.

"She was Head Girl in my third year at Hogwarts. She was brilliant and kind and she docked lots of points from me and my friends. We thoroughly deserved it." He laughs, and Ginny and Luna laugh along with him. "Shall we? I believe the procession is about to move."

They're joined by two other children, who stare quietly at the adult in their midst while Luna and Ginny chatter away.


End file.
